Physical Therapist

Description:

The incumbent is a licensed Physical Therapist who is responsible for administering physical therapy programs to adult and geriatric adult patients referred from all areas of the acute care and subacute rehabilitation inpatient wards.

Requirements:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Licensure: Must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Education and experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  1. Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  2. Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  3. Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.

NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors or master's degree. In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs. Effective 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post­baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree). Effective 2015, professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students.

NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs.

Grade Determinations :
GS-12 Education, Experience and Licensure: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs below, examples of experience include but are not limited to, providing assessment and treatment intervention; plan and modify treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition; provide oversight and delegate patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant, and/or delegate non­patient care duties to non-licensed staff.

GS-12 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, that must be clearly demonstrated in your resume:

1. Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services.
2. Skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors.
3. Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations.
4. Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated.
5. Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence.
6. Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs.

Preferred Experience:

• Minimum of 1 year of work experience in an inpatient acute care environment or inpatient rehabilitation setting.
• Experience treating patients with neurological, orthopedic, and cardiopulmonary conditions.
• Familiarity with early mobility protocols and post-surgical rehabilitation.
• Experience with discharge planning and coordination with interdisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in electronic medical record documentation.
• Experience supervising and directing physical therapist assistants and other support staff.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS 12.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to maintain good body mechanics while lifting 50 lbs up to chest height and also while pushing, stooping, squatting, kneeling, crouching and reaching in the conduct of job duties. Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.